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The Right
Bodybuilding Carbs

Carbs have become the forgotten nutrient in bodybuilding circles. Everyone is so concerned with protein, they forget that carbs can, in fact, help them with their muscle building goals.

As Jeff Anderson explains in this article, the key is in choosing the right carbs at the right time. Check out the sample carb lists below to make sure you're getting the right carbs.

If you're interested in a "no plateau" bodybuilding program that can help quickly move you towards your mass gain goals, check out Jeff's Optimum Anabolics. It is a detailed program that provides a diet, training and tracking plan that will have you organized and, most importantly, gaining muscle.

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The RIGHT Carbs . . .
At The RIGHT Time!

By Jeff Anderson

If a Carbohydrate and a Protein were playing a part in the next blockbuster action flick, you can be sure that the average bodybuilder in the audience would expect the Carb to be the evil villian intent on destroying the planet while the Protein would surely be the hero dressed in white who comes in with a flamethrower and a grenade launcher to foil his sinister plan and save the day, right?

Well, you're not alone if you've been caught up in the growing rage against consuming anything with a single carb in it. Following the discovery that reducing carbs can reduce fat storage by forcing the body to use fat as fuel rather than digested carbs, misinformed bodybuilders have been unknowingly short-circuiting their gains in an attempt to see their abs.

While it can be beneficial to reduce carb intake when trying to "cut down" for uncovering those elusive "6-pack" abs, the wiser plan uses the right carbs the right way to maximize fat loss, build muscle, and energize your day.

Here's what to eat and when...

Before Your Workouts:

Your body needs carbs to fuel that intense workout you have planned at the gym, and for this you'll need to consume complex, low-glycemic carbs (carbs that digest slowly in the body and don't cause an insulin spike) about an hour or so prior to hitting the weights.

Eating low-glycemic carbs (with a glycemic index, or "GI", rating of 70 or less) will provide the stored fuel you need to power through your sets.

Here's a sample list to draw from:

Pre-Workout Carb Selection	Glycemic Index Rating
Oatmeal, Long-Cooking	49
Rye Bread	42
Spaghetti	67
Milk, Whole	39
Fructose	32
Pinto Beans	55
Sweet Potato	62
Cereal, Bran	33

 

After Your Workout:

During your workout, your body extracts glycogen (stored carbohydrates) from your muscle cells as one of its primary fuel sources for hoisting that bar into the air.

If you don't replace this muscle glycogen fast following your workout, your muscle cells won't be able to repair themselves at optimum levels and you may actually experience muscle loss, or at least "less than desired results" from your weight training program.

To quickly replace muscle glycogen and avoid further muscle breakdown, consume about 100 grams of high-glycemic carbs (GI rating over 70) within 1 hour after your workout.

Post-Workout Carb Selection	Glycemic Index Rating
Oatmeal, Instant, Sweetened	87
White Rice	81
White Bread	100
Banana, Ripe	90
Pineapple	94
Mashed Potatoes, White	104
Table Sugar	92
Donut	108

 

Throughout Your Day:

Other than immediately after your workout, you should try to avoid high-glycemic carbs as much as possible throughout your day.

By avoiding the associated "insulin rush" that comes from highly processed and sugary high GI foods, your body will draw more from your fat stores to help provide fuel rather than looking to the quickly digested carbs in your stomach.

Not only will you feel energized and alert all day long, but you'll also have ignited a long, slow fat burn that will help you finally get a peek at the washboard abs you're trying to uncover.

Before Bed:

When you sleep, your body's metabolism slows down considerably and makes it easier to store excess calories as fat.

Although you should certainly avoid high GI carbs before you go to bed, you should also try to limit your consumption of "dry carbs" after 4:00 pm to avoid excess fat storage while you sleep. These would include things like pastas, breads, rice and potatoes.

Here is a short list of "approved" carb choices:

Pre-Bedtime Carb Selection	Glycemic Index Rating
Grapefruit	26
Peach	30
Apple	49
Milk, Skim	46
Yogurt, Plain	32
Custard	59
Tomato Soup	54

About The Author:

Jeff Anderson (better known in the bodybuilding community as the "Muscle Nerd") is the creator of, Optimum Anabolics, the ground-breaking new bodybuilding program that has taken the entire industry by storm!

This no-nonsense program breaks the mold on building massive muscle without expensive supplements or misleading gimmicks.

Jeff's other 5-star rated program, Homemade Supplement Secrets, is a complete guide to brewing up your own bodybuilding supplements at a savings of hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

Read my review of Jeff Anderson's Optimum Anabolics

Read my review of Jeff Anderson's Homemade Supplement Secrets

Learn more about Jeff Anderson and see a listing of the other articles he's contributed to this site